Episode 89 A shadow overtaking.
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In this north gate park where tall trees grow thickly, there is a place of my own.
Even if it was my own place, the hammock hung between the branches would be the end.
Nevertheless, everyone has their own reasons for explaining this place as if it were a secret.
This is a place no one knows about.
It’s the northern gate, where people don’t come and go, and it’s not even visible because it’s hidden among the thick leaves of grass, so there’s no way to know that such a thing exists.
Therefore, it is a perfect place to spend some quiet time on your own.
Of course, the comfort is nothing compared to the luxury beds in the dormitory, but this place also has its own charm.
The gentle breeze that blows with your even breath, the sound of footsteps of small animals running through the forest, and the fresh air that can only be felt in an open place.
Today, I was enjoying it all and taking a nap.
“You were here.”
Someone is lying next to me.
Since it was a space that could not be said to be wide enough for two or more people to comfortably lie down in, someone was right next to me.
I felt a little embarrassed.
You know, I’m not that sensitive.
However, I am not so insensitive that I do not feel popular even when someone has reached my sight.
If I had been in a deep sleep, I wouldn’t know.
Besides, how did you find out about this place?
I don’t remember telling anyone about this place.
However, there was no such thing as a surprise.
It was because he felt a strangely familiar sense of dread.
I didn’t feel anything like a sharp edge, so I was thinking about whether I would keep falling asleep like this.
I felt his hand caressing me.
From this, I was able to roughly guess who the person next to me was.
Because there is only one person around me who has a hand like this.
Even though it looked like a small and fragile hand, the owner of this hand, which had been spread over time and pain, had no choice but to open my eyes before even coming up with the answer.
It must be because something wet and soft touched my forehead.
And, in my eyes, what I loved… No, now, she was the one I loved.
“what are you doing.”
“I was still watching, but I was sleeping without the world knowing. So get up.”
“What are you watching?”
“You’re sleeping.”
I think he slept for quite some time, but he said he was just watching from the side during that time?
In the past, when I collapsed, it is said that he stayed by my side for almost a day, so it is not surprising.
“Then wake me up. Why were you just staring at me?”
“There is nothing worse than disturbing your sleep. It’s also fun to watch. It was cute.”
“It’s okay, you can wake me up. If it’s a wake-up alarm like now.”
“Did you like it?”
There’s no reason not to like it.
It is no exaggeration to say that it is the best wake-up call of my life.
“Of course. You won’t get tired of taking it every day?”
“okay? then… .”
The distance between Aina and I is shaking and narrowing.
It felt like the faint boundary between the two was waving.
… Anyway, that’s my feeling
Because it’s not Aina.
It had been a long time since she had gathered her cold and withered veil earlier.
It’s only when she steps into my street, but for that moment, she too takes off her veil and enters her feet with an innocent look.
like now.
I also step forward a little to give a corresponding answer.
However, Aina did not accept my answer.
As before, he only kissed the forehead.
Taken from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
Maybe my answer didn’t live up to her expectations?“Because you made me wait, so far for today.”
Her sharp eyes are shining.
The corner of his mouth drew a very pale arc.
Even Aina was able to make such a desperate expression.
It must be the first facial expression I’ve ever made, but it’s so natural.
It’s worth hearing the sound of a genius.
It’s a phenomenal speed of learning.
“Why are you looking at me with such a happy expression?”
“I want to learn quickly.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ve been good at everything since the old days.”
“okay. right.”
Aina is a person with no corners anywhere.
If I had to point out the shortcomings, the lack of social skills and the lack of cute taste are actually not a big problem.
If it’s social, I’m also a creeper.
Rather, it would have been better if Aina was better than me, wouldn’t it?
At least you don’t go crazy.
Doesn’t it taste cute?
Now it just came out, so no problem.
“But, how did you know I was here?”
“I have Izayoi.”
Aina pointed to the owl on her shoulder.
Oh yes, I forgot about that owl.
At first, I was very concerned.
Now, I’ve gotten used to it enough to be recognized as one of Aina’s accessories.
Yawning, pouting, shivering aegyo, it had a cute and clever taste.
At times, that owl seemed more humane than its owner, Aina.
I’m sorry about her.
“Then, you must have known from a long time ago that I come here sometimes, right?”
“No, I noticed it relatively recently.”
“But, why didn’t you tell me right away?”
“I was hiding and watching something. You are a suspicious person.”
“It is.”
There’s something I’ve heard somewhere before.
‘When you get married, everything is exposed. Your weird and sultry hobbies and thoughts. No matter how secretly you try to hide it, everything is bound to come out.’
In the past, those words were taken as a passing joke.
I just dismissed it as something he didn’t hide properly.
But, now I can understand a little bit.
It’s a secret that it’s so easy to be exposed to your girlfriend, but it’s even more so if you’re married.
No, in fact, if it were someone else, it might be something.
It’s just a secret that you take to the grave, because everyone has at least a couple of them.
The problem is, my opponent is not an ordinary person, but Aina, the head of the Mitsuru clan.
It didn’t seem like he could hide anything from her.
Even if you think excluding the mental domination that makes it physically impossible in the first place.
So I have no choice but to live like this, crawling under her like this.
… I have no major complaints about it though.
“Are you not hungry by any chance? You didn’t even eat lunch.”
“I know. I forgot.”
“Then eat this.”
Aina held out a box.
An expensive-looking cabinet with gold, mother-of-pearl, and jade embedded in smooth lacquered wood.
This, obviously, was prepared by Aina.
I had to be so sure.
If it had been bought roughly from somewhere, it wouldn’t have been contained in a box that looked so luxurious even at first glance.
“It will taste worse than the food in the academy’s canteen. Sorry.”
Apparently, she didn’t have a deep knowledge of cooking.
The new shallow wounds all over his hand were representing it.
“no. Thank you enough for what you did.”
“Next time, I will practice more and make it. I won’t lose to other people’s dishes.”
There were various kinds of dishes in the box.
Perhaps because it was made in a hurry or because of the low skill level, the perfection of the dishes was not at a level that could be said to be excellent even with empty words, but it was good.
At least, I was able to confirm the feeling that I was working hard to make it.
In fact, it was okay if I didn’t work hard.
Taken from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
My parents were the only people who packed lunch for me in my life.Just being able to do it is impressive.
Now all I have to do is eat these deliciously.
Even if it’s terribly tasteless.
“… What do you think?”
“Is it delicious?”
It’s not an empty word, it actually didn’t taste bad.
A taste that anyone can easily eat.
It’s great for the first time, isn’t it?
It was said that most of the dishes had a composition that was difficult to fail, but even considering that, this was worthy of praise.
Taken from n̲o̲b̲l̲e̲m̲t̲l̲.̲c̲o̲m̲
Most of them burn their first dish, fail to match the seasoning, or overcook it, but there were very few mistakes like that.“… really?”
“Then why would I lie like that?”
“thank god.”
“If you don’t believe it, you eat it.”
She opened her mouth naturally.
I took one of the most satisfying things I had eaten and put it in her mouth.
“Look, is it delicious?”
“It’s not bad, but it’s not delicious either. Ha, if I had known this would happen, I would have listened to my grandfather better when I was younger.”
“What did you say?”
“You said you should at least be able to cook.”
Well, I’m not sure about this part.
Wouldn’t a separate cook be hired if the family was about the size of a child in the first place?
I wonder if it is necessary for the person in the head of the family to cook for himself.
“So, what did you answer?”
“I said this as a child, but I answered that I am a person who can live well without doing such things. He said he had no intention of getting married.”
“So, what did your grandfather say?”
“Whether you die living alone or not is not something you will be concerned about, but you nagged that you need to know how to eat your own food so that you can die beautifully.”
It seemed that Aina knew why she missed her grandfather.
Since the Mitsuru family is known for being strict and rigid, he must have been the only person with such a free-spirited and cheerful soul.
Even if there were more people with that kind of personality, it would have been difficult to talk about it even because of Jjajangbap.
“How are you? You can work hard right now.”
“then… Would you like to try it next time?”
“If only you bring it.”
“great.”
Suddenly, the cupboard was empty.
It was quite a lot to eat alone, but I was happy to eat them all.
It was also thanks to the occasional owl watching Aina’s eyes and picking up a few pieces of meat.
Anyway, Aina was looking at me happily.
with her body leaning on my shoulder.
“Hey.”
“yes?”
“I hated seeing my family called the shadows. Because it’s always being covered by someone’s shade. So I didn’t like this ability very much either.”
Perhaps it was more like a word that represents her life.
It was because he was living buried in the shadow of the first place and buried in the name of Gaju.
“But now that I think about it, I don’t think Shadow is such a bad name.”
“why?”
“You are always chasing someone. It never goes away.”
“right?”
“If you think about it that way, living in someone’s shadow might not be all that bad.”
“Maybe someday you will be ahead. The position of the shadow changes depending on the light source.”
As if she liked my answer, Aina smiled brightly and closed her eyes.
The first time I saw a comfortable expression.
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